We Need More

We've just had our horses teeth done today, and if there's ever one activity that makes you thankful for someone who's not only a superbly qualified but a terrific horseman - this is it.  As in many health related fields (both animal and human), so often patient care is put to one side in favour solely of technical expertise.  Yes, it is important to be skilled at your profession to be a responsible practitioner, but it's having the additional patient handling skills (especially with difficult cases like our little one Angus) which makes great professionals.  We all want our horses to be treated with respect and dignity while being treated- and finding that balance while getting the job done should be higher on the list of priorities for many people in the field.  What it boils down to, I think, is that people who enjoy being around horses are those who are better at treating horses- empathizing with them and understanding them instead of viewing them as an inanimate object to be serviced.  So, to all those dentists, EPs, vet, farriers, etc.  who take the time to treat our horses with kindness- thank you.

What Hoof Shape are You?

Hooves come in a variety of shapes ans sizes, from flat to round or splayed just to name a few.  But what do these terms mean?  Listed below are some pictures and descriptions of common hoof shapes and what they mean.

1) 'Flat' Feet:  These are hooves in which the sole lacks concavity and lies very close to the ground.  It can result from overly thin sole material, or from overly thick sole material.  Front feet are naturally flatter than hind feet, and some breeds have genetically flatter feet than others, but an overly flat foot is usually the result of inflammatory processes.







2) 'Upright' Feet:  These hooves have an abnormally high heel height, resulting from relatively benign causes or severe pathology.  The most innocuous cases result from overly long growth, or unbalanced trimming and are usually resolved quite quickly.  In more severe cases, an apparent high heel can be caused by a rotation of the hoof capsule around the bony column as in acute laminitis.  Occasionally, this type of foot can arise due to chronically shortened tendons, so this will be the 'normal' shape for the foot.

3)  Flared Feet:  Hooves with large amounts of flare can result from feet that are overdue a trim, or from feet which suffer from long term inflammation and usually also exhibit under-run or collapsed heels.









4)  'Narrow' Feet:  This hoof will exhibit a contracture in the heels, making it appear more oval and will normally show a deep central groove in the frog which will be prone to infection.  By encouraging the horse to use his feet in a more correct fashion, these feet can be encouraged to open out.

5)  'Round' Feet:  Your bog-standard warm-blood or draft horse foot- nearly circular with robust walls and high level of symmetry.








6)  'Wide' Feet:  These are usually hooves which have bilateral flaring, making the width markedly longer in measuremtn than the toe-heel length.  Some horses and breeds tend towards this type of foot even in a healthy state.  You may find difficulty finding these horses hoof boots that fit well.

7)  'Long' Feet:  Usually this indicates a long toe/low heel shape for the foot and can either be the result of unchecked growth, chronic inflammation, or poor trimming.  This can usually be rehabilitated well with proper trimming and treatment of the causes of inflammtion.

8)  'Under-Run' Feet:  When a hoof's heels become under-run, the heel purchase migrates forward, nearer the apex of the frog, and continued weight-bearing on these bent structures tends to further the problem.  This type of foot will usually exhibit flaring on one or both sides.  With some supportive padding, correct trimming and diet this foot has a good prospect for rehabilitation.

Hoof Boot Guide Part I: Not All Boots Are Created Equal

There's no other item quite as useful when having a barefoot horse than a good hoof boot.  There is, however, more to selecting the ideal boot for your horse than you might think.  There are a wide variety of brands and types of boot on the market today, and which one you choose should be determined by two important factors: your horse's hoof shape, and your intended activity. 

The first factor has to do with the shape of the sole of the boot and it is important because some boots are designed to fit round hooves, while some fit wide hooves best, and others fit petite hooves.  To some extent, if you have an 'average' hoof, it will fit reasonably well regardless of the type, but - and this is especially important for those of us with pathological hooves to think about- if the hoof is mis-shapen (by abnormal growth or injury) or in the process of rehabilitation you may have to change boot types a number of times as and when the foot shape changes.  For example:  If your horse developed severely under-run heels and flared quarters (as this picture demonstrates) then you will need a boot which will accomodate as wide a foot as possible (as well as a pad), but as the foot rehabilitates you will soon find that a more round-shaped boot will do the job nicely. 

Perhaps just as vital is what you plan to do with your horse- whether it be endurance rides across rocky ground or carriage driving on asphalt roads, each discipline will suit a particular style of boot.  This is where we will consider the types of fastening and upper materials.  Included in this consideration is also whether your horse is being booted as part of an ongoing rehab (where, I'm afraid your choice may be limited to the accomodatingly roomy trainer type boots) or if you just need a bit of extra insurance if and when your horse may be a bit tender (in which case there are many sleek and stylish options open to you). 

Okay, so you've decided what your horse needs based on the shape of his foot and the demands placed upon him- now you're ready to get matched to the appropriate boot.  We'll start with the first and most versitile category- the trainer type hoof boot.  This type has one or more flaps that wrap the whole hoof above the level of the coronet band and fasten with velcro or buckle fasteners on the front of the boot (the most common types are the Old Mac - see pic - and the Cavallo hoof boots). They are the most commonly used boots for rehabilitation because they are spacious enough to fit in a generous pad to cushion and support the pathological foot.  This, combined with their ruggedness makes them extremely versitile and if you can only afford one set of boots, I'd recommend these every time.  They are also more forgiving with odd or mis-shapen hooves.  The downside is that they can be fiddly to put on/take off until you get used to the fastenings (this is especially true of Old Mac boots).  For this boot type: wide hooves suit Old Mac's; round hooves suit Old Mac's G2, Cavallo and Cavallo Sport (though there tends to be a larger size step in this brand) and Easyboot Trail.  I don't recommend the Boa hoof boot for any use as the fastening device can allow the unsuspecting owner to overtighten the boot and compress the coronet band, producing bruising and chafing (the device uses a ski-boot type dial using thin wire which can quickly create an alraming degree of compression).

The next mainstream boot type is that which fastens to the hoof by a compression mechanism (ie various types of clamp).  Of these, the oldest and best known is the original Easyboot (pictured).  The rear of the boot generally grips around the heel while the front grips and clamps to the hoof wall.  I like this type a great deal  as they generally come in a wide variety of sizes and sit entirely below the coronet band, minimizing the risk of compressing the coronet band or soft tissue rubs.  However, there is little scope for fitting a pad of any real theraputic value and I mainly recommend these for otherwise sound horses who need extra protection for rocky trails or the occasional bout of footiness.  Many of the soles are cast for quarterhorse feet so you may not have much luck finding one which fits your horse if he has wide feet.  The downside is that, unless they fit snugly they will not stay on well so an accurate fit is essential.  Easycare do, however, do a fit-kit which provides you with a range of soles to try on your horse and a good set of instructions for judging the fit- I highly recommend using it.  All these boots I would recommend for 'normal', round shaped hooves only.

An additional branch of this type is the 'glove' type boot which fits by interference fit onto the hoof and has the benefit of being very light and easy to put on (pictured is the Easyboot Glove).  These aren't quite as rugged as the other compression fit types, but work brilliantly if you desire a bit of added protection from rocky trails or wear protection if you're doing alot of tarmac mileage.  They have no real theraputic value so unless your horse has healthy feet I'd recommend these purely as an addition to a good pair of trainer type boots.  As with those listed above, these tend to really only fit 'normal' or round feet- but there is a new Easyboot Glove Wide which promises to be a more versitile fit for wide hooves.  An important side is the Hoof Wings boot which is a custom-fit glove type boot which is a viable option if you have difficulty finding an appropriate fit.

The final main offering is another hoof-fastening type which incorporates a dynamic fastening around the pastern or heel.  The most notable is the Renegade hoof boot (pictured).  As with the glovetypes, these are purely for horses who have otherwise healthy feet that require a bit of added protection for trail rides or abrasive surfaces.  The heel cup system employed here is one of my favorites and virtually eliminates any possibility of bruising of abrasion of soft tissues.  They are also as robust as the compression-fit boots but super light- I highly recommend these type of boots for trekking or heavy-duty trail riding as you get all the advantages of the gloves but a more secure, robust fit).  Again, these tend to be sized for 'normal' to round feet only and have little theraputic use as no pad of substance can be fitted.

Next up: Part II:  Sizing Your Hoof Accurately

Additional Resources:

www.easycare.com
www.cavallo-inc.com
www.renegadehoofboots.com
www.hoofwings.co.uk

Welcome!

Welcome one and all to my new blog.  In the coming weeks and months, I'll be making this space into a clearinghouse for all things hoof related (and some things that aren't but that I find darned interesting).  So, watch this space!  For now, back to work writing something suitably interesting ;)